Daniel Schwenter (Schwender) was a German Orientalist, mathematician, inventor, poet, and librarian.
Occupation
mathematician, linguist, librarian, poet
Citizenship
Germany
Born
January 31, 1585
Died
January 19, 1636
Overview
Daniel Schwenter (Schwender) (31 January 1585 – 19 January 1636) was a German Orientalist, mathematician, inventor, poet, and librarian.
Biography
Schwenter was born in Nuremberg. He was professor of oriental languages and mathematics at the University of Altdorf. This is achieved by a preface written by Schwenter in the book Kurtzer, gründtlicher, warhaffter, gebesserter und vermehrter Underricht, Zuberaitung und Gebrauch deß Circkels, Schregmeß und Linial from George Galgemair and by an old chronicle of the University of Altdorf.
His works include Delicia Physico-Mathematicae (Nuremberg, 1636) and Geometriae practicae novae et auctae tractatus I-IV (published posthumously in 1641). Among other topics, Geometriae practicae covers the art of baculometry - the measuring of inaccessible distances via staves.
As a linguist, Schwenter was familiar with Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, and Aramaic. He was also an authority on Euclid. He died in Altdorf bei Nürnberg.
